While she's Still Around
by Apples of Idunn
Summary: It's Rose Tyler's wedding day... but her trip to the ceremony is rudely interrupted when she appears in a very familiar blue box.


**I do not own Doctor Who, all that goes to BBC, et cetera. I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar problems, my Word Processor does not have any spell check.**

* * *

It was another rainy day in London. Rose Tyler looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled, despite the rubbish weather. Her white dress hung past her heels, her blonde hair up in a bun. Nothing could spoil this day. It was her wedding day. She had the most perfect man in the world waiting for her at the church, and she could just imagine him, his hair as sticky-uppy as ever, just like the day when she first saw the newer version of the more-or-less Time Lord.

Rose's mother, Jackie, was in the doorway, "are you nervous, sweetheart?" she asked. Rose didn't turn, but instead adjusted her hair. She looked at her mum in the reflection of the mirror.  
"No," she answered simply, if not all truthfully, "I'm excited. You know John and I love each other more than anything."

Jackie smiled, "I remember when me and your father got married," she said, "back home." Of course. _Home_. That word -euphemism was more accurate- for the universe she had been torn away from and thrown into this one. Sure, she still had a father and a big house and all, and a 'Doctor' who loved her just as much as the other one, but she missed the excitement of traveling in the TARDIS.  
She was snapped out of her daydreams by her mum.

"Come on, we'd better get going unless you want to be late to your own wedding." Rose smiled and turned, stepping into her white heels, "yeah, okay," she said.

The girl followed Jackie out to the front yard, but she never made it to the car.

The air around Rose seemed to be shifting and rippling, like a puddle being disturbed by a stone. She stopped moving, looking at it. Jackie turned around and watched in horror. Rose smiled and waved, "I'll be back, I'm sure," she said before suddenly disappearing.

* * *

She appeared in a huge room, and a familiar looking machine was in the middle. She turned, and she stood in front of two doors. Her eyes wandered up, and the familiar, glowing, "Police Public Call Box" words. She turned again as a voice rang out.

"Who are you?" the Doctor asked, staring at the blonde head which had mysteriously appeared in the TARDIS console room. His jaw dropped as the familiar, beautiful face of Rose Tyler stood before him. "Rose..." he breathed, his eyes flashing in recognition.  
"Oh, hello... I'm looking for someone. Tall, slender, wears a suit..." The Doctor bit his lip, "he's not here anymore. He hasn't been here for a long time."

"Where is he?" Rose asked, refusing to believe that this man was the Doctor she had known. He looked nothing like John Smith, the man who was waiting for her in a church in another universe.  
The Doctor's eyes saddened, and his face soon followed. He looked at the ground, "hello, Rose," he said as he looked up at her again. Rose wet her lips. She couldn't deny it anymore.  
"You did it then? Changed your face, I mean." She motioned to him. The Doctor nodded briefly, "yeah... I didn't really have a choice." He forced a smile as all his memories of her came rushing back. Mostly the sad ones... one stood out in particular: the last time he saw her. On that beach with his other form. He wondered where 10.5 was -as he liked to call it- right now.  
"So... how are you?" he asked her conversationally. Rose smiled, "Pretty good... uh, John's been well, mum and dad are good... mum thinks she's gaining weight but I keep telling her she's paranoid..." The Doctor's eyes fell on her beautiful dress. White. It looked like a wedding dress.  
"You getting married, you and him?" he asked, making a vague motion with his hand. Rose looked down at herself briefly, then back up at him, smiling, "yeah... it was all a very romantic proposal" she was about to go on, but the Doctor cut her off.

"Spare me of the details," he said simply, forcing another smile, "what are you doing on my TARDIS?"  
Rose shrugged, "I just kind of appeared. Me and mum were heading to the church and then... I just kind of... disappeared, I guess. Mum's probably having a cow." The Doctor smiled. Good old Jackie.

"Well, how about we get you back then?" he said, smiling, "wouldn't want you to miss your wedding." His hearts gave a twang of sadness as he spoke that sentence. He started looking around at the console, happy to have something to distract him from her, pulling a few levers and pressing a few buttons. "I'm married too now, you know. To a woman named River. She's very... interesting." He smiled at the thought of her.  
Rose nodded, smiling, "good, I'm happy for you. She must be pretty amazing to catch your fancy..." she chuckled briefly. The Doctor nodded, smiling, "she is pretty great." He pulled a few more levers and the TARDIS made a sound of indignation.

"I'm sorry, but you have to do this, she's not supposed to be here," he said to the TARDIS, stroking the apparatus affectionately. "You should be good," he said to Rose now, "Have a good wedding, alright?" Rose smiled and went up to him.  
"Doctor," she said, "I just want you to know... I'm sorry."  
"For what? What could you possibly be sorry for?"  
"I'm not the best companion you've ever had, I'm sure, and I did a lot of stupid things and things that got you into trouble."  
"Oh no, Rose," the Doctor said, grinning, "you were actually pretty fantastic!" He grinned wider and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly, not wanting her to see the tears coming from his eyes.

Rose had tears in her eyes too. "I missed this. The adventure, the TARDIS, the danger, the aliens.." she laughed briefly, "it's just... I have a life now, and I can't stay." The Doctor nodded, drying is eyes quickly and pulling away, "I know," he said, "you have to go." He smiled, "and Rose Tyler... I always did love you." He choked quietly and pulled a lever. Rose smiled sadly at him as the air started shifting around her, and with a pop, she was gone.

* * *

Jackie went to her side as Rose appeared again, "where were you?!" she exclaimed.  
"I was visiting an old friend," Rose replied, smiling sadly, "come on, I don't want to be late to my wedding."

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**Thanks for reading! Again, I don't own any of this, but please leave a review and tell me what you think. :)**


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